Here you'll find answers to interesting questions about Gerald Bosacker

Q: What is the best part of being an author?

A: A realization that you struck the right chord with a reader, and you share a truth.  A writer hopes he connects with many readers who do not feel obligated to acknowledge the mutual view.  A great pity, so I keep open all avenues of contact with my readers. 

Q:  What made you a writer?

A:  Making almost every mistake that a young man could make, learning everything the hard way, gifting me with insight on what I should have done.  I put those ephipanies to work in my writings.  Been there, done that was obviously said for me.  This makes me a moralist, and I am proud of that nomenclature.

Q: What is the best poem or story you have written?                                      

A: Obviously, the next one. I have to believe that my dedicated efforts will bring improvement in my communicating skill.  Each day, when I arise, I have a grateful epiphany, but getting that to read well on paper is sometimes difficult.

Q:  What is your greatest asset as a writer?                                                  

A:   Without a doubt, the support of my wife, family and friends.  You might include the long history or learning everything by trying the wrong way first. I am a good and patient listener, which is the first requirement of conversation. 

Q: Do you welcome criticism?

A: Although I write first to please me, I might please too easily and bear a bias in my favor. Therefore, I need and welcome constructive criticism. Unfair or mean criticism, I easily tolerate when it is signed. Anonymous cowards do not deserve recognition or concern. 

Q: Do you ever use a pen name or alias?                                             

A: Yes, one is DrWryme for light hearted, or tender poetry. But when I am critical, writing controversial diatribes or satirical, politically incorrect wyrmes about foreign policy, graft, greed, enviromental crime and exploitation of the weak and the poor. Such provocative poetry should never be anonymously signed!

Q: Do you believe a poet's role is one of protest and political activism?     

A: Absolutely. It is a poet's duty to keep stirring the pot of public thought, adding salt and turning up the heat. It often helps to keep the ridicule light hearted.  I easily get energized, watching wars be born, minorities and disenfranchised people abused, the shared world's ecology violated, humans who foster hate and our society's tolerance of greed.  Other than that, I'm happy with the world.  

Q: Do you do performance poetry, radio interviews  or public speeches?     

A: Yes, all of the above and with my wife, Jacky. 

Q: Some of your poetry seems anti-religious. Are you a Christian?             

A: I regularily attend protestant churches, and Quaker meetings, and consider myself both Christian and Humanist. I am extremely uncomfortable in churches that harbor or foster religious zealots convinced that they know the only road to salvation. I abhor hypocrisy in any code of beliefs.  I fault intolerant Christians who have forgotten what manner of man Christ truly was or what he taught. 

Q:  Do you have any advice for aspiring writers who want to be published? 

A: My best advice is expressed at Write your own book.  In addition, any writer should subject himself to criticism. and polish with improving re-writes.

Q: How do I post a question here? 

A: I am Glad you asked?  Click question and post your question. It will be carefully read, considered and answered then posted here if I feel it deserving.

Q: What are your favorite subjects for poetry?    

A:  I practice great diversity.  I like to bitch about wrongs, political misdeeds, and the vagaries of the human race.  I am a vociferous defender of the environment, human rights, and brotherhood.  I attack hypocrisy in governments, religion and society, but I try for light, humorous touch with my sarcasm.  I love children and dogs, and think them incapable of sin.

Q: What qualifies you to judge others or question the social order?

A:  Absolutely nothing, but observing catastrophes for seventy-nine years hints at what does not work, and I seldom make the same mistake twice. Believe me, I have made almost all of them, but they were seldom repeated. 

Q:  Do you consider Walt Whitman a great poet?

A: Only as it legitimized free verse, and the resultant demonization of rhymed poetry.  When blank verse or unrhymed verse is considered the only form of poetry, instead another form of word expression, Poetry is dead. 

Q:  What background experience propels you to write?

A:  Eighty years of losing gracefully much, humbly winning less, and reviewing mistakes, that should not have been made and concluding, experience is the master teacher.  

Q:  Do we see your religious philosophy affecting your writing?

A:   An author cannot escape revealing his spirituality in everything he writes.  I am a Quaker and my membership in the FRIENDS SOCIETY is a motive force, in everything I write, even the spicier words.  Because I have made every mistake and survived as a valuable person, I default into a moralistic role.  
 

Q:   As a wry critic of modern society, do you ridicule real people?

A:  Writing is like shooting a gun.   Words can hurt so you must carefully point, as with a gun, and I believe that no-one is accidentally killed by a stray bullet.